Quest of the Nine Savior
by Gunbazca
Summary: New chapter, evrybody!!! please R&R! even nicer surprise awaits...
1. The Hidden Endless Waltz

Quest of the Nine Saviour  
  
A fanfiction from the hands of Gunbazca & Wing Descendant  
  
Disclaimer: All characters' names, places, and other related indicia used in this fan fiction are all owned by their respective copyright owners. This fan fiction is made solely for entertainment purposes and not for gathering profit. So, in other words, don't sue us. We're not rich enough to pay fines.  
  
  
  
Prologue: The Hidden Danger  
  
Wind swept across the sun-baked plains of Magalea. Home to thousands, these plains has been long renowned for its fertility. Wheat produced in these plains is famous worldwide for its delicious flavor and good texture. No wonder people -especially wheat farmers- here is quite wealthy. This wealth also leads to the ease of getting money in the region. Just about any job, whether it's right or wrong, is available. Many world-famous wealthy people start his/her career here. Today is just another day in the Reaping Season -named so for it coincides with the harvest of wheat- in which people -farmers, merchants, wanderers, even mercenaries and thieves- gather from all around in the town of Baggitao. Yet, in the large crowd, no one seems to know that an imminent danger seeking vengeance since twenty-five millenia ago is waiting for them, except this unlikely old man, sitting in the side of the road, telling stories to children.  
  
"Harriet! Come on! I wanna see the story-teller!" a yellow-haired boy whined while tugging her sister's hands. "Calm down, Dickey. we'll get there soon enough. after I buy some elixir for grandma Elise," Harriet, the girl clad in blue, answered his little cousin Dickey's whine. "No fair! You always take eons! I'll go there ALONE!" Dickey bellowed, before breaking free from her sister's hands and running into the crowd. Harriet tried to chase him, but she bumped hard to a stranger and made the two of them fell down. "Yowch. that was hard. Oh my! Are you alright, sir?" Harriet said while getting up and helping the handsome young man stand. "Yeah. thought so, miss. Was that your brother there?" replied the man as he dusted his pants. "No, he's my cousin. oh, and I apologize for my clumsiness." "Oh, that's okay. Say, miss . er." "Harriet. My name is Harriet Bartholomew. Is anything the matter?" "Oh. alright then, miss Harriet. Do you happen to know someone by the name of Tidus Cromwell?" "He's my uncle. What business do you have with him?" "Nothing important, but it's a bit personal. Can you point me to his house?" "Um, He's living with us, but the road to our house is a bit hard to explain. but if you don't mind, you can tag along with me. I'm almost finished shopping, anyway. Oh, yeah, I haven't know your name, mister. um." "Nakamura. My name's Hanjiro Nakamura."  
  
.Later that day.  
  
"Auntie Yuna.! I'm back!" Harriet called in, as she entered the ample farm- style house. Dickey galloped to his bedroom at an instant, eager to try a new toy he just bought. "Oh, you're back, Harriet. Do you have any trouble with Dickey?" said a middle-aged lady wearing an apron while turning to Harriet. "No, nothing I really can't handle. Say auntie, where's uncle? This man wants to see him," Harriet replied casually as she strolls to the kitchen with two bags of groceries "He's still at the farm with your father," Yuna replied, while looking Hanjiro as Harriet puts her groceries and items in the kitchen, "So, what's your business with my husband, mister?" "About two weeks ago your husband placed a request to our mercenaries' guild, the Shinsengumi. I was sent here to attend that request," Hanjiro replied, placing a piece of paper, apparently some kind of contract or introduction letter, on the table. Yuna read it carefully. "Oh. I see. Nothing's very serious here, Hanjiro. Maybe Tidus wants you to investigate the continual robbery of our barns, that's all," Yuna said after reading the letter for a short while. "That's the matter, eh. OK then. I'll just wait for him here," Hanjiro responded while sitting on a chair near the entrance.  
  
.  
  
Three dark-caped figures rode through the night on their armor-rigged horses, hoping to reach the next town before it gets too late. They do not make much noise, only occasionally some sighings and mutterings between them. Their horses were also unusually quiet, just panting occasionally, as if they were only trotting instead of running like now. No one knows, that they are the bringers of destruction. 


	2. Weird, Intertwined, and Hidden

Quest of the Nine Saviour  
  
A fanfiction from the hands of Gunbazca & Wing Descendant  
  
Disclaimer: All characters' names, places, and other related indicias used in this fan fiction are all owned by their respective copyright owners. This fan fiction is made solely for entertainment purposes and not for gathering profit. So, in other words, don't sue us. We're not rich enough to pay fines.  
  
Chapter 1: Weird, Intertwined, and Hidden  
  
The dinner had passed, as the clock strikes half past seven. Dickey has unusually resided into his bedroom, apparently still absorbed by his new toy, while Yuna, Harriet, and Harriet's mother, Cecile, finishes their daily evening chores. The men moved to the living room, talking about matters of the farm.  
  
"So, mister Tidus, what do exactly made you call to us?" Hanjiro opened the talk between the three.  
  
"Well, y'see, my brother-in-law and I have been baffled by this mysterious robberies of our barns since the past two months. We have tried practically every way to stop this weird robber, but we always fail. That's why we called for pros like y'guys to handle this," Tidus said as he sits on the living room sofa.  
  
"Hmm. Have you tried waiting in the barn to ambush the thief?" Hanjiro suggested.  
  
"We've tried that so many times, believe me. Every time we put people to guard the barns -we have three-; they always got asleep or unconscious when the robbery takes place. It's as if they are drugged or given a sleeping spell. Last time we guard it, we hired thirty men, and, believe me, everyone is asleep including us and the people in the house," Elrond, Harriet's father, responded the suggestion.  
  
"Hm. but why do the thief go to so much trouble? I can't understand. the 'Mass Sleep' spell, especially one powerful enough to make people that many fell asleep, needs a lot of power to do. I mean, judging from your infos, It's definitely sorcery," Hanjiro muttered while trying to think of a way to defeat the thief.  
  
"Yeah. that's why we hire ya. We wanna know also," Tidus said, before drinking from a nearby glass.  
  
"OK then. I'll try to sleep in one of the barns, and set traps in the other two. That way, maybe I can get a better overview of this mysterious thief. Who knows if I can catch the thief," Hanjiro said, while standing up.  
  
"Y'sure about that? Those barns are so mosquito-infested y'could easily catch a disease there. Why don't y'set a trap and wait in the house? The barns are viewable from the attic," Tidus suggested.  
  
"Mosquitos are no problem for me, Mr. Tidus. Believe me, I've been to a place where the mosquitos are many, fast, voracious, and as big as flies. Besides, I've been vaccinated too many times," Hanjiro said jokingly while smiling.  
  
"If you insist then." Elrond sighed.  
  
"Well then, Mr. Tidus, Mr. Elrond, excuse me," Hanjiro said as he leaves the house.  
  
.At the barn.  
  
"Hey, Hanjiro! What are you doing here?" A shout from atop the barn startled Hanjiro.  
  
"Wha. Oh, it's you Harriet. What are you doing there?" Hanjiro called back.  
  
"Stargazing. I just love the looking at stars from here. Investigating the barns?"Harriet replied, smiling to the lean young man.  
  
"Yeah. Wait there, I'll go up in a jiffy," Hanjiro shouted back.  
  
"But how will-"  
  
Before the sentence was over, Hanjiro was at Harriet's side. He cleared a seven-meter distance from the ground to the window with ease.  
  
"Uh, wow! How can you do that?"  
  
"A year of practice. You're right. the view of the stars from here is gorgeous!"  
  
"See? Told you so."  
  
"By the way, did the mosquitos bother you?"  
  
"No, not quite. I used to bathe with lavenders; auntie said those are good mosquito ward. Has uncle and pops filed you with the situation?"  
  
"Yeah. Sounds pretty serious to me."  
  
"Ah, they're just exaggerating a bit. We still get good profits from the wheat's sales."  
  
"So the thief didn't take much, am I right? Well well, it's getting fishier to me."  
  
"Yep! He -or she, maybe- just took a small sack every time he broke in. although the thief broke in once almost every two nights. A bit weird, eh?"  
  
"You can say that again. Maybe the thief needs some wheat for own needs. Anyway, you should be going back. It's kind of late now and I have to rig the other two barns with traps."  
  
"What traps? I don't like them. when I was little, I once got trapped by a hunter's net and was left hanging all day long."  
  
Hanjiro couldn't help but to choke a small laugh. Harriet frowned a bit.  
  
"No. it's not like those old-fashioned traps. It'll just give the thief an unerasable mark. It'll help me determine who the thief is."  
  
"Well, OK then. One more thing. er. Can you take me down? I'm kinda lazy to open the barn door downstairs."  
  
"No problem, just hold on to my back real tight," Hanjiro said. Harriet did that, and a moment after that, they jumped down.  
  
"Thanks Hanjiro. I'll wake you up tomorrow morning if you like," Harriet said, thanking him.  
  
"No, don't bother. I'll wake up earlier than you guys will. Besides, mercenaries like me tend to sleep less than most people," Hanjiro replied, while taking his medium-sized duffel bag he left down a moment ago.  
  
"Bye then, Hanjiro. I'll try to wake up earlier than you!"  
  
"Bye too."  
  
Hanjiro watched for a while until Harriet entered the house. Then, sighing, he turns to the second barn, muttering "Work, work!"  
  
.  
  
That night, the thief broke into the third barn. The elusive thief managed to avoid most of the traps Hanjiro has set, but not the last one. Without the thief's knowledge, the trap grazed the thief's shin. The rest is like the other nights, where the thief took a small sack of wheat grains, and then flee after making sure that the barn is still as it was when the thief entered it a few moments ago.  
  
.  
  
It was a clear, sunny morning. The slight breeze was caressing the trees, houses, and just practically everything outside.  
  
"Hanjirooo! Rise and shine!" Harriet called Hanjiro on the front of the door of the first barn, only to find him, armed with his twin katana, staring back to her from the direction of the third barn.  
  
"Hi there Harriet! Told you I'll wake up earlier," Hanjiro said while smiling innocently to Harriet.  
  
"Ah well. Breakfast's ready for you. You still investigating the barns?"  
  
"Yeah. The thief didn't broke into the second barn, and I was sleeping in the first barn. So this guy definitely went into the third one."  
  
"How can you be so sure? You said you were sleeping last night."  
  
"A soldiers' 'sleep' is different from most people's. I can still hear things in my sleep, although just faintly. Oh yeah, want to tag along? The last check should only take a jiffy."  
  
"No thanks. I'm still a little scared of traps."  
  
.  
  
About an hour later, Hanjiro showed up at the dining room. There was Tidus, Yuna, Harriet, and Elrond there.  
  
"So, y'finished checking the barns?" Tidus asked Hanjiro.  
  
"Well, yeah. I think I can nab the thief today, if I'm lucky," Hanjiro responded, while taking a seat across Harriet, who is still a bit busy eating to notice.  
  
"Wow. how can that be?" Yuna inquired.  
  
"Well, the thief took one of the sacks which is tagged with a transmitter. I should be able to track the guy down if he's still in a 3-mile radius from me," Hanjiro answered before drinking a mug of tea served by Cecile.  
  
"Wow. all we do now is sit back, and prepare the reward. Am I right, Elrond dear?" Cecile said, smiling meaningfully towards Elrond, her husband. The room filled in with laughter.  
  
.That afternoon, at the far outskirts of the city..  
  
Hanjiro had tailed the suspected thief all day, eventually leading him to some kind of open place, maybe a rendezvous point. He waited patiently as time ticks past seven minutes past four.  
  
Eight minutes later, as expected, the thief finally met the master. A black- clad horse rider riding an armor-rigged horse arrived, seemingly talking about wages with the man, from Hanjiro's hiding. A moment later, the rider gave the thief a bagful of money. The deal seemed to be closed, but a moment after the thief turned, the rider shot the poor thief with a silver big-caliber Baretta three times on the head, much to Hanjiro's disgust as he saw the thief's brain scatter around. Then the rider turned to Hanjiro's general direction before shooting five times. One merely grazed Hanjiro's temple while he dodged them.  
  
"You should've run while you can," the rider spoke in a flat tone as he reloads his gun. Hanjiro landed behind the man.  
  
"And you shouldn't have killed my bounty. Cheez, what a mess." Hanjiro uttered, while unsheathing his twin katana, trying to keep his eyes off the headless corpse.  
  
"You'll regret this, boy," the robed figure gruffly replied as he draws his gun and shot again. Hanjiro skillfully dodged the bullets, waiting for the rider to reload the gun.  
  
The chance finally came. The rider stopped abruptly, trying to reload his gun. Hanjiro flew to the air over the rider, preparing for his air-to- surface attack.  
  
"Take this! RYUITSUISEN!" he shouted.  
  
But it was too late.  
  
The rider, laughing wickedly, slinged another Baretta hidden in the cloak. Hanjiro knew this is definitely not good, but it was way too late to cancel the attack.  
  
But then, a bolt of lightning struck the helpless Hanjiro. The electric charge ran through him like thousands of punches, sending him unconscious in mere milliseconds.  
  
"Geez, why do you ruin my fun, Attea?" the gunned rider asked a second, smaller built rider, apparently a woman.  
  
"Because you're wasting precious time, Galadriel. Come, take the wheat to the hideout," the second rider said coldly.  
  
"What about the mercenary? He can cause trouble if let alive."  
  
"Let him be. He, along with the residents of Bagittao, will make a good appetizer for the newborn Chironomas. They like living preys best."  
  
Hanjiro overheard this faintly, but he's still too weak to get up. But in his heart, he vows that he won't let anyone end up inside a monster's belly. 


	3. The Catastrophe

Quest of the Nine Saviour

A fanfiction from the hands of Gunbazca & Wing Descendant

Disclaimer: All the characters' names, places, and other related indicia used in this fan fiction are all owned by their respective copyright owners. This fan fiction is made solely for entertainment purposes and not for gathering profit. So, in other words, don't sue us. We're not rich enough to pay fines.

_Chapter 2: The Catastrophe _

Countless seconds passed since Hanjiro fell unconscious. Feeling that the two riders had fled, he slowly got up and weakly walked to where he put his small pouch. Then he took a small bottle of glowing blue solution and downed it. After a few seconds, he shook his head and sighed.

"Darn… thank goodness I wasn't killed by that 'Thunda' spell. Now I must get to the town and warn others," he mumbled, before starting to run towards the city in an almost inhuman speed.

When Hanjiro arrived at the town, he was a bit too late. Some buildings had already been destroyed by the humongous, towering monster, including the communication office and the post office. By looking at this, he knew that this monster is the one mentioned by the two riders, because usual beasts will attack people first and not buildings.

"Damned monster! Take this! KOKEN SOUFU!" Hanjiro shouted as he did a quick-draw attack with one of his swords. A gust of sharp wind flew at an instant, cutting through the monster's lizard-like hide. Greenish blood gushed from the wound, indicating that the attack sliced an artery inside the monster's body.

The monster growled angrily, before turning to Hanjiro's direction and spitting a blackish, seemingly acid wad of slime. Hanjiro dodged the spittle, but the monster spit another wad at Hanjiro's direction. It looked like a sure hit, but all of a sudden, he was a few meters over the monster's rhinoceros-like head.

"Die! RYUITSUISEN!"

The downward slice cut the beast's head to an equal two parts. Greenish blood rushed out and flooded the vicinity around the monster, while Hanjiro's sword shattered on his hands. He then leapt to a safe distance a few meters away and ran towards the survivors.

"Anyone hurt?" he asked the huddling people.

"Everything under control here, Hanjiro. No one's eaten," a girl in blue, apparently Hanjiro's colleague, answered with a relieved smile.

"Good. I'll just leave the rest here with you, Hokuto. I got to get going to the Bartholomew's to assure that they're still okay," he answered quickly.

"But sir… the second monster just headed there!" one of the survivors said, trembling.

"Darn! It'll be too late when I get there…" Hanjiro growled.

"Not if you can fly. PTERODACTYL, COME TO ME!" a man with a ring-like weapon attached to his right wrist called. At an instant, a huge leather-winged reptile appeared in front of them. The man hopped on to the beast's back.

"What are you waiting for? Come on!" the man instructed. Hanjiro, not wanting to waste any more time, hopped on to the beast's back. A moment later, the beast soars to the air and flew swiftly towards the Bartholomew's residence.

"Say, thanks for the ride, fellow," Hanjiro thanked the man as they soar above the town and nearby farmlands.

"No problem. I fought with that monster too, before you came… well, until he KO'ed my Grendels and Mantises," the man replied.

"Wow… so you're a summoner? Cool!" Hanjiro commented with a smile.

"No, not yet. I'm still a beastmaster. My summons are still low level ones. I still can't summon legendary beasts like phoenixes or dragons… oh goodness, I think we're too late," the man said, rather horrifiedly as he sees three buildings on fire.

"Oh gross… the three barns are… burnt… Wait a minute, that's the monster, quick, before it wrecks the house even more!" Hanjiro shouted as he saw the flying monster burning the house with its fiery breath.

The pterodactyl swooped a few meters above the flying monster. The monster sensed this, and turned to fry the beast and its master.

"Way too late," the man on the back of the flying reptile said coolly.

He's more than right. The right wing of the monster was cut clean by Hanjiro's _Ryuitsuisen_ attack. The monster came tumbling to the ground with a loud rattle, while Hanjiro landed neatly a few meters away from it. His katana were badly cracked.

"Drats! Should've gone straight to the neck… Now how can I fight this monster with this kinda sword? This is just not my day!" he curses.

"Hey fellow! Catch this!" the man on the back of the reptile shouted while throwing a silver-sheathed katana to Hanjiro.

"Where do you get one of these?" Hanjiro asked, drawing the katana and placed its sheath under his belt.

"One of my condors found it in the body of the monster you just de-SCOOT!"

The monster spewed fire yet again. The two young men dodged to different directions, before launching their attacks.

"KOKEN SOUFU!"

"PTERODACTYL, ATTACK!"

The sharp gust of wind hit the enemy's chest and penetrated its hide, while the flying lizard grabbed the monster from the back, took it ten meters up, and then slammed the hapless monster to the ground. Green blood splattered the sorroundings.

It appears that the monster was dead, but it was actually still alive. It was enraged… it roared loudly a few times, before belching a humongous stream of fire towards the beastmaster. He was caught in it, being late to dodge. Hanjiro watched in disbelief as the sorroundings burn with the intensity of thousands of fireplaces.

Suddenly, the sky grew dark. Cold winds blew out of nowhere. The monster, as if sensing an entity much stronger than it, stopped spewing fire and cowered.

"What on earth…?" Hanjiro muttered as he sees the body of the beastmaster glow in a bluish light.

A moment later, the beastmaster vanished. Then, a big ice crystal shout up from the ground, before shattering to pieces, revealing the body of a bluish-skinned woman, apparently a goddess of some kind.

_Who dared to interfere my slumber…? _

The voiceless question ran a frost on Hanjiro's spine. The entity turned to him, looked him for a brief while, and then turned again, this time to the monster.

_Insolent being, you shall feel the wrath of The True Goddess of Ice, Shiva! ETERNAL ICE TOMB!_

The monster let out a terrible shriek of pain, before finally freezing to death in a perfectly square ice crystal. Hanjiro fell to his knees as the goddess turned to him.

_O hero, is it you who awakened me from my eternal rest? _

"No… it wasn't I! Maybe it is the guy who rode the flying lizard…" Hanjiro said in a cautious tone.

_So… it is the beastmaster who summoned me… Afraid not, o hero… my presence here is not of you to fear. Instead, I shall give you a present for your coming journey. However, in order to receive that, you should prove first that you are worthy to receive the task as important as saving this earth. _

"H-… How?"

_Destroy the ice tomb that holds the monster without your sword… _

"But it's a paper-thin beside impossible!"

_No, it is not… for we have chosen you since well before your birth… _

"We? You guys? Don't be kidding!"

_Well, you have given me no choice but to kill you, if you refuse… for your destiny only had two choices, to be a light that illuminates the souls of the people or to be a dark shadow across the land… _

Hanjiro was stung by the words for a few moments, before finally obliging.

"OK, I'll try! At least I'll die trying…"

Hanjiro dropped his sword, before concentrating all of the energy left in him to his right hand. His right hand glows bright yellow like the sun in the process.

"Here goes… SHIN NO GURENKAINAAAA!" he bellowed loudly, as he flashed to the ice-crystal tomb and buried his right hand about twenty centimeters into the thick ice. A big flash as bright as the midday sun occurred, but the huge tomb of ice still stood.

Hanjiro pulled his hands free from the ice tomb, before turning back and collapsing. As if detonated, the ice block gave way and was reduced to fine ice dust. The monster inside it was also pulverized. The only thing left is a black-sheathed katana.

_Behold your prize, o hero… that is the Kagemaru, the soul mate of the Kazemaru, the silver-sheathed katana you wield. This two blades shall assist you in your journey with the Ancient who has been awakened… she now lies there… _

The entity pointed to a crumbled part of the house right in front of Hanjiro.

"Darn! Harriet!" Hanjiro shouted before springing to his feet.

The ruins the goddess pointed suddenly glowed aquamarine before scattering around the vicinity. From inside it, rose a slim figure of a woman that Hanjiro knew more than anyone there… Harriet.


	4. Similar Trauma

Quest of the Nine Saviour

A fanfiction from the hands of Gunbazca & Wing Descendant

Disclaimer: All the characters' names, places, and other related indicia used in this fan fiction are all owned by their respective copyright owners. This fan fiction is made solely for entertainment purposes and not for gathering profit. So, in other words, don't sue us. We're not rich enough to pay fines.

_Chapter 3: Similar Trauma _

_Harriet… prepare lunch, please… _

"OK, mom!"

Suddenly, there was thundering sounds everywhere. A man went flying across the open door. The poor man landed just before the stove. It was Chuck, one of the employees working in the farm. His body was severely slashed. Harriet shrieked loudly, while Cecile came to him.

_What is it, Chuck? _

_A-… A mon-… ster…Urgh. _

_Chuck? CHUCK! Wake up! _

_AAAAAAAAA… _

Harriet ran to the open door, hoping to see her father alive. But what she saw has exceeded even her imagination. Elrond is being devoured by the 40-foot long monster.

"FATHEEEER!"

The monster turned to her, after swallowing the mauled body of her father.

_Harriet, run! We'll hold the monster here! _

_Fira…AAAARGH! _

_YUNAAAA! BASTAAAruuuurgh! UAAAAAARGH! _

"UNCLE TIDUS! AUNTIE YUNA! NOOOOOOO!"

The monster devoured the bodies of Tidus and Yuna in front of Harriet's terror-stricken, blank stare. Then it turned to Harriet again, before belching a stream of fire to her. But, instead of hitting the intended target, the fire hit Cecile.

_R-… Run, Ha-… Harriet… live… _

"Mom… no… mom! Mom, wake up… wake up, mom… mom… NOOOOOOOOOOOO! MOOOOOOOOM!"

…

"Still no progress yet?" Hanjiro asked Hokuto, who's standing near the hospital bed where Harriet laid.

"Well, I can't say that for sure. Her wounds are completely healed inside-out, but she's still in comatose… my best guess is that she had something inside her mind… maybe a mental wound or some kind of those," Hokuto responded, scratching her head.

"Yeah… watching all of your family got eaten by some beast isn't a pleasant thing to do," the beastmaster, Hua Zhe Lei, added in.

"Right, Lei. Glad you didn't took the same wound after you woke up that goddess having a beauty nap," Hanjiro said with a smile, joking.

"Ha ha. But you better watch your back, Hanjiro," Lei uttered flatly.

Hanjiro, hearing a growl, looked behind. He saw sixteen wolves and ten Thylacines (striped wolf-like marsupial creature formerly found in Australia- in case readers don't know) packed in the small hospital aisle, all baring their fangs at him.

"Aw, great. Another speed sparring in this time of the day," Hanjiro cursed, before starting to run in full speed through the window. The wolves chased him.

"Gee, I'm so lucky I didn't pissed you off, Lei. Otherwise I'll be off recreating 'Dances with Wolves' too like what Hanjiro is doing now," Hokuto remarked while smiling.

"He needed it, anyway. His speed, stamina and agility is below par," Lei snorted.

…

"Sure you're up to this, Lei? I mean… are you sure you want to stay here and look after Harriet?" Hokuto asked as she dons her coat.

"Yeah, no problem. Where are you going, anyway, Hokuto?" Lei replied.

"I'm going to shop on my supplies. You know, elixirs, ethers, potions, and things like those. I'm also going to send a wire to the Shinsengumi HQ and buy take-outs for us. Anything you need?"

"Well, nothing's running out in my pouch. Just buy us something a bit decent for dinner… don't buy us some cheap sushi like the last time."

"giggles OK, I'll remember that then. Catch you later Lei!"

Lei turned to the still body of Harriet after Hokuto closed the door. _This kid resembles San Chai very much…only her hair differs,_ he thought as he looked to the comatose Harriet.

_Darn… San Chai… haven't you let me go?_

His blue-green eyes looked through the window, to some place maybe only he can reach.

--

Three kids, two boys and a girl, were chasing each other in a forest glenn.

_San Chai… Hey! Don't run so fast! We can't catch up! _

_Bah! You two are soooo weak! Can't keep up with a girl like me! Weaklings! _

_Are you starting a fight, San Chai? HUH?! COME HERE AND I'LL BEAT YOU UP! _

_No-you-can't! You-must-catch-me-first-Ming She-weakling! _

_You're asking it! SUMMON MANTICO-…WHA?! ZHE LEI, LET GO OF ME! _

_Cut it out, Ming She! If master Wu Fei finds out that you used your summons to fight anyone but me you'll, be dead chunks! _

_Let go of me, Zhe Lei! That no-good father's girl is pissing me off! _

_Weakling! Weakling! Weakling! _

--

_SUMMON MANTICORE! _

_SUMMON MANTIS! _

The two beasts clashed, battling each other. In a few moments the manticore (a Greek legendary beast in the shape of a lion-headed lobster- in case readers don't know) were pushed aback by the large mantis.

_Enough, you two! _

_UNSUMMON MANTICORE! _

_UNSUMMON MANTIS! _

_Great, my disciples! Your summons are almost at the same strength. Though I had to admit that Zhe Lei's mantis is a bit stronger than your manticore, Ming She. Maybe you have to train more… _

_WHAT?! But master Wu Fei! I –already- trained harder than him! _

_Sometimes training alone is not the only key of power, Ming She. Your heart must also be strong to wi-… _

_Weakling! Weakling! _

_Silence, San Chai! _

_WHAT! YOU…YOU! _

_Cool off, Ming She… I'll spar with you some more. C'mon, let's go- _

_LET GO OF ME! GO OFF WITH YOUR MANTIS!_

--

There were fire everywhere. The huge Oriental-styled house was on fire by the time Lei came. Afraid of master Wu Fei and San Chai's safety, he charged inside.

_Master! San Chai! Mas- MASTER! H-how cruel… who did this, Master?! _

_Zh-… Zhe Lei… thank good-… ness… Dao… Ming… Shunfff… _

_Master! MASTEEEER! _

A shriek in the midst of the crackling sound of fire made Zhe Lei forgot his grief for a while. He ran to the source of the voice quickly.

_San Chai! San… oh my goodness… San Chai… DAO MING SHE! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?! _

_Easy, Zhe Lei… she's just a celebration of my newfound power… or perhaps you want a piece of the cake too? Hnn? _

_Zzh-…Zhe Lei… _

_Aww… how cute… she wants to make love to you, Zhe Lei… Aren't you going to fulfill her wish? _

_NO, MING SHE! UNTIL THE HELL FREEZES OVER I'LL NEVER DO THAT! _

_Aww… I'll just have to make you then. Psy-tho-ma-ta-jaygoku-KEIN-ZHAI-LIE-KEAN! _

_NO, MING SHE! I WON'T DO THAT! ERGGGH! WHA-… what the… my hands! What are my feets doing?! My body… MING SHE! WHAT IS THIS DAMNED SPELL? MING SHEEE! _

_Just enjoy it, fellow… although you'll only get my leftovers… _

_MING SHE! YOU DAMNED MAN! Sa- San Chai, No- Don't do that- ergh… San Chai! DAO MING SHE! FROM THIS MOMENT ON YOU ARE FOREVER MY ENEMY! No- SAN CHAAAAAAI! DON'T DO IT! SAN CHAAAAAAAAAAAAI! NOOOOOOOOOO! _

--

"Wh… what's this… water…? …Sand? A… Beach?" Harriet mumbled, feeling water and sand on her feet.

"Oh, it's you Harriet. What are you doing here?" Lei turned to her.

"How do you know my name? Where are we?" Harriet asked.

"We're in a place where the dreams of the people meet, the Dreamscape. About your name, I knew because Hanjiro told me. He's your friend?"

"No… he's just a mercenary working on a contract with my uncle. Is he your friend then?"

"Nope. We've just met two weeks ago when this town was attacked by two monsters… one of them slaughtered your family, right?"

"Um… yeah… what's your name then?"

"I'm Hua Zhe Lei, a beastmaster from the eastern mountains. People call me Lei."

"What are you doing here, then, … Lei?

"Looking for a similar monster… a monster that took me from everything dear in my life…"

"So… were your family slaughtered too, Lei?"

"Worse than that… it also took my loved one away."

"We share the same grief then, Lei."

"No. Your monster had been killed by Hanjiro, while my monster still prowled the land…"

"How terrible…"

"Well,… it's because it also hunts for me too. So if we meet, it is certain that one of us must die."

"… Lei, was this beast your friend?"

"Yeah… sorta like that."

POOF!

"There you two are! Where were you? Oh, I just love it when romance is in the air…" Hokuto suddenly popped out behind them.

"Er… who is this, Lei?" Harriet asked, puzzled.

"Allow me to introduce myself then! I'm Hokuto Sumeragi, a member of Shinsengumi guild! Nice too meet you, Harriet!" Hokuto introduced herself cheerfully before shaking Harriet's hand.

"Er… nice to meet you too, Hokuto…" Harried replied, still dumb-struck by Hokuto's sudden appearance.

"It's time to wake up then, guys! Hanjiro must be grumpy seeing us all snooze like this. C'mon…, I even bought you dinner, Harriet! C'mon, c'mon, up you go!"

"B- but how? I'm lost here…"

"Ah well, I have to use the hard way then," Hokuto said while whacking Harriet hard with a huge baseball bat. Harriet flew to the horizon's direction, while Lei sweatdropped in disbelief.

"Do you –always- have to use that way, Hokuto?" Lei asked.

"Well, It's definitely not the best, but it's one of the fastest! Or do you wanna try the frying pan?" Hokuto replied, readying a door-size frying pan for Lei.

"One question before going. What did you buy us for dinner?"

"Um… some cheap instant curry rice, as far as I can recall…"

"Oh brother…"

The pan was swung hard.

…

"Unff…"

Harriet slowly opened her eyes.

"Harriet! You're awake!" Hanjiro exclaimed loudly, relieved.

"Ha… Hanjiro?" Harriet weakly said.

"Oh thank goodness you still recognize me! I was very afraid that you'll get amnesia!"

"Thanks… thanks for worrying me…"

"No sweat. By the way, what are they doing here, sleeping? And… ACK! Who's saliva is this?! Hokuto?"

Hokuto slowly woke up, leaving the trail of saliva from where she slept… over the blanket on Harriet's legs. Harriet finally realized what made her feet feel wet.

"Hey… you're back from the steeplechase, eh?" she commented sleepily.

"Well, yeah… and it turned to be a all-around training indeed. About halfway to the town square, Lei's wolves and thylacines turned to gorillas and sasquatches, then they beat me up, before I –finally- can escape after an hour… in the town square, they suddenly turned to grendels…" Hanjiro told his story. Harriet went a bit pale.

"Oh, you mean those man-sized lizards. So?" Hokuto took a seat on a chair near the table. Lei seemed to be still sleeping.

"… All 28 of them! They made a real mess of me. It was thank to these two swords that I can –finally- get rid of them… after three hours of fights. Thank goodness that no one other than me is hurt!"

Lei couldn't held still no more. He burst into laughter in front of everyone in the room.

"Now that's my idea of a good joke!" he exclaimed. Hanjiro grinned widely.

"So that's why… Then I'll teach you a good lesson of speed and stamina! COME HERE, YOU SICK BEASTMASTER!" Hanjiro bellowed, before chasing the maniacally-laughing Lei around the room. Hokuto clapped her hand and yelled some encouragement to the two. Harriet smiled.

A few minutes later, a nurse entered the room, wanting to check the noise. She was a bit surprised to see everyone in the room, including Harriet, having a mock fight.

"Well, I think everyone has finally recovered," she remarked while smiling.


	5. Crossroads

Quest of the Nine Saviors

A fanfiction from the hands of Gunbazca & Wing Descendant

Disclaimer: All the characters' names, places, and other related indicia used in this fan fiction are all owned by their respective copyright owners. This fan fiction is made solely for entertainment purposes and not for gathering profit. So, in other words, don't sue us. We're not rich enough to pay fines.

_Chapter 4: Crossroads_

__

"So… what's your next plan, Lei?" Hanjiro asked, before sipping a glass of ale.

"No concrete plans yet, fellow. How about you?" Lei replied after putting his glass of fizzle-juice on the counter. The tavern was a bit empty, thanks to the last monster attack.

"I have to go back to the Shinsengumi headquarters first, to report what have happened here… after that, maybe I'll take my leave." 

"I'm surprised that you guys have that too. How many days do you have?" 

"Well, I've never taken any since I entered, so I think it'll be about a few months."

"After that?" 

"Maybe I'll go to my mother's. She really wanted me to come back there… to tend the farmlands, and sort of like…"

"Normal and peaceful to me. Oh yeah… how about Harriet? We can't just leave her like that."

"Yeah, you're right. She didn't have any more relatives… who will take care of her?"

"Umm… how about Hokuto?"

"Well, she'll be busy working next month… Shinsengumi's administration officer, that's her work, and next month will be auditing month. Besides, it is definitely not OK to leave a village girl to a party junkie like her."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'm her best friend, why shouldn't I know? She's always at the night scene in every city she came to. And her salary is more than enough to support her."

"Wow, a right and disastrous combination…"

"Yeah, you can say that again…"

"How about you, Hanjiro? Why don't you take her to your mother and leave her there? I'm sure your mother would be happy…"

"Yeah, and in about a month she'll ask me to marry Harriet. She's always like that… she even asked me to marry Hokuto once or twice…"

"Ergh… maybe she thought you should have a wife already. You have a job, you sent home good amounts of money… maybe she wants you to have the final happiness in a man's life… am I correct?"

They both laughed aloud.

"Yeah, you're right, Lei… maybe she wants me to stay at the farm… and do farming so she could sit back on the rocking chair while my wife do the housework. She'll be happy to baby-sit our children! laughs Oh, yeah, how about you? Why don't you stay for a little while here and take care of her?"

"Normally I would like to… but she reminds me a lot of my dead…"

"Past reminiscence, eh?"

"Yeah… sort of like that. Besides, how can I support the life of both of us?"

"Order your summons to mine some gold and cut some lumber… or maybe tend the abandoned farm she owned? You already have the man… err… beastpower, fellow."

"Yeah… you have a point. But I still need some help to rebuild his farmhouse… I know nil about designing a house. Why don't you guys stay for a while?"

"Maybe Hokuto can help you. She knew a bit about designing and carpentry. Besides, she has a lot of spare time until the start of the month ahead."

"Right! It's decided then. Let's find Hokuto & Harriet and tell them about the plans."

They both paid for their drinks, before going out of that quarter-occupied tavern.

"Now... where can we find Hokuto?" Lei muttered.

"Finding her shouldn't be that difficult. Look, there she is now." Hanjiro responded, pointing to a small-built girl crouching on the side of the road before a robed man. The two men swiftly walked to the girl.

"... So is it THAT certain? Gee, I don't wanna marry him..." Hokuto asked the robed, bearded old man.

"No, little girl... fate as it is, always changes from day to day, like the blowing wind..." the old man said, his tone calm and soothing.

"Well well, getting some more spiritual advice, eh, Hokuto?" Hanjiro joined the two people's talk.

"I thought an ever-optimistic girl like you won't need a spiritual advice after all," Lei added in a flat tone.

"Humpf! I've known you'd say that! What's wrong with some advice from a wise traveler? You're just jealous of my never-ending wit, that's all," Hokuto said back, a bit annoyed of Lei's indifferent manner.

"Now, now, the two of you... you two are a perfect match, I see... I see your fates lie in one..." the robed old man said, smiling as he saw the two's rising argument.

"I see the same thing, old man. Those two are indeed a perfect match... ow, I can almost smell the burnt cooking..." Hanjiro added the old man, resisting from himself laughing aloud.

"THAT'S IT! I'll be haunting your dream tonight, Hanjiro!" Hokuto blurted, before turning back and leave.

"Well, at least she got someone else to boss tonight..." Lei remarked, cynical as usual.

"And you too, Lei!" she added before going far from the three men. The men just looked her way for a while as she disappears into the night.

"So, you two want your fates to be told too, young men?" the old man said, while circling his index finger to some direction.

"Well, we're in a bit of a hurry here, so maybe next time," Hanjiro said while smiling.

"Ah, I see... well, until then... why don't you take these 8 pendants? I forgot to give the rest to the little girl after she took one," the old man smiled, before giving eight pendants, each differing in size and shape.

"Oh, okay. Gee, Hokuto sure does fancy these things a lot that she bought nine!" Hanjiro exclaimed, before a small laugh escaped his mouth.

"Oh, no, young lads. She didn't buy these from me. The pendants choose their own owners, and she happens to be one... I believe another two has chosen theirs now. Look at your chests," the old man said calmly, before pointing to Lei's chest, where the lion-shaped pendant now hung.

"What do this mean, old man? Is this some kind of tag?" Lei asked, while holding the pendant in his right hand.

"Those pendants are formerly worn by great warriors twenty-five millennia ago when they fought The Ultimate Evil. When that war is over, they stored their powers inside the pendant... The Lionhead pendant once belong to the great summoner, so I suppose you're a summoner too, young one?" the old man replied.

"Well, not quite. I stopped learning when my teacher died a few years ago," Lei responded, before looking to the silvery-gold pendant.

"And this sword-shaped pendant… what do this mean, old man?" Hanjiro inquired.

"Well, all I can say now is… good luck in your journey," the old man said, before turning into a big owl and fly into the woods a near distance away from the tavern.

"What do that suppose to mean?" Hanjiro asked Lei, puzzled.

"Beats me. Let's tell our plan to Harriet instead," Lei answered.

"Ok. First thing's first then. Let's go," Hanjiro said, before walking to the hotel where Harriet stayed.

…A few months later…

A torrential rain swept over the town since the day's start, making it impossible for anyone to come out of their house, including Harriet and Lei. They just sat beside the window of Harriet's new house, looking at Lei's beasts making shelter in the newly built barn.

"Sure is raining cats and dogs out there…" Lei muttered while looking at the beasts huddling together in the barn.

"Yeah… but look at the bright side! Your summons doesn't have to water the crops today!" Harriet, who is bringing a mug of tea for him, said in a calming tone.

"Yeah, true… and especially after they found some good-sized gold nuggets in the upper parts of the Levate River, I don't think I'm worried of the crops again," he replied flatly, before sipping some hot tea from the mug. She then took a seat on a nearby rocking chair and started rocking slowly.

"Say, Harriet… do you still have that pendant we gave you the night before Hanjiro left?" Lei asked.

"Well, yes… what's with that pendant?" Harriet replied, showing the sun-shaped pendant to Lei.

"No, it's nothing, really… I'm just a bit confused by the origin of this pendant."

"It's not like the usual you, Lei… usually you know everything and cannot be made confused."

"That's when it comes with logical things… this pendant is illogical."

"And why can you say that?"

"You should have heard from Hanjiro where we got that pendant."

"Well, yeah, but…"

"Does it sounded logical to you?"

"Well, no, but I believe fully in him. Besides, this pendant goes pretty well with my skin… don't you think so, Lei?"

"To tell you the truth… yeah."

Just then, a rap was heard on the door.

"I'll open it," Lei said, while getting up and walking to the door.

He opened the door, and there stood a black-caped tall man. As swift as a breeze, he slung a gun, wanting to shoot Harriet, who is still rocking on her chair.

"DAMMIT! HARRIET, GET DOWN!" Lei screamed, while mentally ordering his summons to help him.

However, this was a bit too late. The stranger shot once, but he narrowly missed Harriet's arm, sending her tumbling down. Then came the second shot, aimed for her head, but the shooter missed again, although her left braids was grazed. He wanted to shoot again, but a hard blow on his cheek done by one of Lei's Sasquatch threw him a few paces to his left-hand side.

"Waaah! Lei, what's going on?" Harriet shrieked, huddling for cover behind a toppled table.

"Just get down! I'll try and defeat this stranger! HEAAAAA!" Lei screamed, before lunging at the shooter, sending them tumbling outside to the rain.

Outside, the two men wrestled, each seeking the air from the opponent. The big, robed man tried to shot Lei, but he missed a whole inch from Lei's head. Lei, in turn, punched him on the chin and, after that, mentally ordering the nearby Sasquatch to pry the man off him.

The sasquatch tried, but it was quickly punched aside by some sort of fast-moving black creature. The black-robed man, as if sensing something coming, leapt a few paces backwards and stood before another, slightly heavier built, black-robed man.

"Go for the Ancient, Galadriel. I'll take care of this unworthy mantis," the heavier built man said, motioning the other man to the house.

"OK. Kill him for me, will you? He and a friend of his sort of nauseating me…" Galadriel said, moving to the house at once.

"What the hell… you're …?" Lei hissed, while mentally ordering his remaining summons to assist him.

"laughs At last you recognized me… it's just about time, for I'm going to kill you!" the robed man snickered, before unbuttoning his cape, letting it slide down and revealing the face. It's none other than Dao Ming She himself.

"I should've known that it was you, damned Ming She… but I won't be beaten just by your manticore! SUMMON GOLDEN MANTIS!" Lei bellowed, summoning his secret creature he had perfected all this time. Small, shining golden particles rose from the ground, before swirling in front of Lei. Gradually the golden shine united into a man-sized sphere, and from the golden sphere rose a shining mantis-like creature, ready to cut its enemy to pieces with a pair of its long, scythe-like forelegs.

"Hahaha… that fly won't last against my new manticore! SUMMON DEVIL MANTICORE!" Ming She bellowed also, before a tall lion-lobster beast with a black-and-red hide appeared before him, instantly charging to Lei upon arrival. The mantis parried the blow, and countered with a lightning-speed slice of its right foreleg. The manticore leaps back a few paces back, before bellowing aloud and, after that, belching an energy stream towards Lei and his mantis. The two quickly dodged, and the stream hits the wall of the first barn, literally vaporizing it.

"Fire with fire, Ming She… MANTIS, SHUKUCHI!" Lei bellowed, as his mantis suddenly dissapeared. A few moments later, the mantis reappeared, and Ming she suffered a gash on his left arm. The manticore was, however, more badly hurt from five deep slashes on its back and head. It bellowed loudly, before burning to ashes.

"Dammit! I knew this will be happening… but our task ends here. Emperor Caina will be delighted as he hears the demise of The Ancient!" Ming She bellowed as he threw a smoke bomb to Lei. The bomb exploded, sending a lot of soot and smoke to all directions. 

"HARRIEEEEETT! NOOO!!!"

_I, Genbu the mighty shield, have protected her. Have no worries, summoner._

_Do not worry, o great summoner…Genbu is always at his words. The Ancient is safe and sound. He and I, Siren the illusion master, is at your service from now on. Godspeed on your journeys…_

"… eh…?"

Lei was dumbfounded, but delighted by the voice inside his mind. Quickly he rushes to the house, and found it torn apart by large-caliber gunfires. On a corner, however, lay Harriet, being examined by a black-clad blue-haired woman. Lei's pendant instantly glowed and made a faintly audible ring.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Lei asked rather flatly, to the crouching lady.

"Nothing. I'm just checking if any bullets hit the girl… it's odd… I think I've seen four or five of the bastard's bullets hit her… but she's not shot at all!" the woman said in an amazed tone.

"It's not odd. You must've seen Siren's illusion."

"You mean?"

"Hey, get real… this world isn't composed of might alone…"

"Well, unfortunately I'm one of the believers of the opposite."

"What brought you here, lady?"

"Dreams… and all other superstitious things…"

Lei smiled a bit. The woman was a bit annoyed by it.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing… Hua Zhe Lei, nice to meet you," Lei said while extending a hand for a handshake.

"You're the guy all right. Meia Gisborn," the woman extended a hand for a handshake, before slinging a gun towards him.

"What the…"

"The price tag on your head is high on Estrellando Empire. Not to mention all the destruction you've done to my family…"

"Oh… so the misunderstanding still lingers, eh?"

"It was no understanding. I've seen that mantis ripping my father's body into two equal pieces…"

"Just about every beastmaster can summon a mantis…"

"Whatever it is, it'll end here."

The gun were fired.


End file.
